Two-way radios are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Many such radios now realize many operating functions and features through provision of an on-board microprocessor For example, some models of the Spectra radio, manufactured by Motorola, Inc., do not include any internal adjustable components such as potentiometers or coils. Instead, all RF and signaling parameters are controlled by an on-board microprocessor. These increasingly sophisticated radios have given rise to a concurrent need for a similarly sophisticated means of both initially programming such radios for intended service, and of servicing or reprogramming the radio in a service shop.
At the same time, however, certain radio functions are not properly controlled at the service shop or user level. For example, certain parameters that relate to the operation of trunked radios are best maintained and controlled from a single central site. Since this central site will usually maintain such information for a number of systems, the central site will likely be remote with respect to the radio that requires servicing. In the past, therefore, when system configuration changes were required, the entire code plug contents for the radio were down-loaded via modem from the central site and then programmed into the radio.
The above process presents a number of problems. For example, this approach requires the central site to maintain many parameters that are not critical to the system. This can become a significant burden. Also, as the number of parameters stored in the radio's memory increases, the telephone line connect time required to down-load each new configuration increases as well. This represents both a time and cost issue. Further, as radios become more complex (as described above), many of the radio's parameters are not available to the central site, thereby rendering the prior art approach inapplicable.
A need therefore exists for a radio programming device that can access a remote database for system critical information, and integrate that information into a radio in conjunction with other on-site programmable information.